Page 20 of The Dancer and the Dark
“He has literally never mentioned it before now. That’s why I’m freaking out.”
“And you’re extra emotional because of your father.”
“Yeah. So why did he bring it up now?”
“I don’t know, Chloe.” He huffed out a breath. “Thinking about life. Thinking about death. Thinking about the passage of time. Hell, half the shit men say—immortal or not—isn’t thought out in advance. Unless you’re a player like Giovanni Vecchio and you don’t hardly say shit, some stuff is just gonna slip out. I can almost promise that idea just popped into his damn head.”
“So you don’t think he meant it?” Did that feel worse? Chloe couldn’t decide if that felt worse.
“I didn’t say that.” Zain squinted. “I mean, if it hadn’t been on his mind at all, he wouldn’t have said it. So… the idea was floating around somewhere. What’s the deal? You’ve been together a long time. You rethinking things?”
“No. Gavin and I are happy.”
“So what’s the issue?”
Chloe racked her brain. Whatwasthe issue? “I didn’t think he wanted to get married. He’s not religious.”
“Well, I guess he’s thinking about it. So you gotta decide what you think about it now.”
She looked over her shoulder at the house that was slowly filling with more people by the hour. Chloe and Zain had picked Sheila and her two daughters up from the airport. Her aunt Sunny took a taxi from LAX. The house was occupied by more and more relatives as the extended family descended on Pasadena.
Chloe couldn’t wait to leave. “I don’t know any of these people.”
He sat up straight. “You want to go?”
She looked at the house, at the rental cars parked in the driveway, at Audra’s nondescript sedan. “Is Gavin at the Vecchios’?”
“You’d have to ask Audra. I am not on his staff. But you know you always got a place at Giovanni’s. He and Beatrice were nearly snarling last night when Ben didn’t bring you back.”
“Yeah, they know my parents.” There was a hollow spot in her chest. “My father is dead.”
Zain pressed his lips together. “I know it wasn’t easy between the two of you. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know how to feel. I’m sad. It…” She struggled to find the words. “It hurts, but I’m angry too. I was trying to call up nice memories we had together, and I can’t think of anything, Zain. Maybe it’s because I’m not thinking clearly right now.”
“Maybe.” He kept his voice soft. “But sometimes the family you’re born to isn’t the one that fits, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
She nodded. “But that means the one you find…” She looked at him. “That makes it extra important, right? Because those are the people who chose you.”
“That’s one way of looking at it.”
She looked over her shoulder at the house of people who didn’t know her. “I didn’t want my mom to be alone.”
“I can respect that,” he said. “But she’s not alone now, and if there’s ever a time when I think it’s okay to be selfish, it’s when you’ve lost someone important to you. And whether you liked him or not, your dad was important. He had a big place in your life, and you need to honor that.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m going to go get my bag packed; then I want to go to the Vecchios’.”
“You got it. I’ll let Audra know.”
She couldn’t sayher mother had been pleased that she was leaving, but she definitely wasn’t surprised. Her cousins all acted shocked, but most of them knew the score. She arrived at the Vecchios’ in the late afternoon, just as the sun was slanting behind the tall oaks that surrounded the property in San Marino.
Sadia, Giovanni and Beatrice’s human daughter, ran to the car as soon as it stopped. Chloe captured her in a hug as soon as the door opened.
“Ben told me your dad died.” Sadia’s voice trembled. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I’m sorry.”
The girl’s fierce embrace almost had Chloe crumpling again. “Thank you, Sadi.” She kissed the girl’s cheek. “I’m so glad I’m here now. I missed your hugs.”
“I’ll give you extra!” Sadia squeezed her arms around Chloe’s neck. “Mama and I cleaned up your room. It’s two doors from mine, and we picked flowers and put them in a vase for you.”
